Blue Jackets

CHICAGO -- Much has been made this season of the Blue Jackets' lack of skill, how the Jackets
are so pedestrian with the puck that every other element of their game -- energy, goaltending,
adherence to the defensive system -- must be close to perfect for them to win.

It's the Rick and Nik Show, supported by a slew of background singers and stagehands.

Nothing exposes this roster flaw quite like a shootout, such as the one in the Blue Jackets' 5-4
loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

The Blue Jackets are 3-8 in shootouts this season, losing more of the game-deciding gimmicks
than every other NHL club except the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres (nine each).

A look inside the numbers reveals why.

Zherdev (5 of 8) and Nash (4 of 10) are a combined 9 of 18 on shootout attempts. The rest of the
club is 2 of 19, only 10.5 percent.

"It's an area we really need to be better at," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We've left some very
important points out there."

Imagine Hitchcock's thought process on the bench as the Zamboni sweeps the ice for the shootout.
Nash and Zherdev are givens.

It's finding the third shooter that makes him sweat. David Vyborny, an obvious choice in the
past, is 0 of 3 this season, and he hasn't been used in a shootout since Nov. 18.

On Sunday, Hitchcock went with rookie right winger Joakim Lindstrom, who has scored only four
goals in his brief NHL career.

"I was told by people in Syracuse that (Joakim) was very good at it," Hitchcock said.

That's what it's come to.

Lindstrom, Zherdev and Nash were stopped by Chicago goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, the fifth
time in 11 shootouts that none of the Blue Jackets' three shooters have scored.

Leclaire likely?

Goaltender Pascal Leclaire, out because of a concussion since March 16, is expected to practice
today, Hitchcock said.

After missing seven games, there's a good chance Leclaire could play in Detroit on Thursday.

"He had a really good day" yesterday, Hitchcock said. "We'll see how he makes out in practice,
but unless something changes, there's no reason he couldn't (start in Detroit)."

Two other regulars are expected back at practice today.

Left winger Fredrik Modin, who has missed the last four games because of a concussion, and
defenseman Ron Hainsey, who missed Sunday's loss because of what the club calls a "head injury,"
practiced for 90 minutes yesterday with Leclaire and are ready to join the rest of the group.

Slap shots

Defenseman Dick Tarnstrom (concussion) will miss the rest of the season. … Defenseman
Ole-Kristian Tollefsen will likely have surgery soon to fix a cracked vertebra in his neck. ... The
Blue Jackets are 18-0-2 this season when they score four goals or more. … When Nash is held without
a point, the Blue Jackets are 10-20-6. … The Blue Jackets did not practice yesterday. They'll
return to the ice at 10:30 a.m. today.